Lamp socket



J. R. GARLSON Nov. 11, 1930.

LAMP SOCKET 2 Sheets-Shet' 2 Filed April 1- 1925 INVENTOR oHn/wvss F8.CHFFL S on Jwi Patented Nov. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEJOHANNES R. CABLSON, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE ARROWELECTRIC COMPANY OF 'HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECT-LAMP SOCKET Application filed April 14,1925. Serial No. 23,021.

My invention ,relates to electric lamp sockets, and particularly "tocandle sockets.

in which my invention is embodied in one form;

Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 6 are sections respectively on the lines 22, 3-3,4-4, 5-5, 6-6, Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the insulating body withthe metal parts removed; Fig. 8 is a side elevation at right angles toFig. 1 showing certain detail modifications;

9 is a section at right angles toFig. 8; Fig. 10 is a sectioncorresponding to Fig.5

but illustrating the modified construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9; andFig. 11 is an exploded view of certain of the details of themodification.

Fig. 12 is a detail view of the eccentric supporting spindle, showingthe eccentric in seci an insulating base block 15, flat on one side tmn.

While I have shown my invention embodied in a candle socket to which itis particularly applicable, certain features of the construction' are ofvalue insockets of other types. It will also be understood that variousmodifications in details of construction can readily be made whichembody the invention.

Thesocket shown in Figs. 1'(' comprises face. Recesses in this face forma switch chamber 16 and a separatechamber 17 for housing the switchactuating mechanism, the two-chambers being connected by a channel 18.*At one end of the block is mounted the screw shell 19 of the socket,the base flange of which is tit-riveted to a yoke 20 integral with awire terminal strap 21. The latter liesagainst a flat face 22 at oneside of the block -and carries adjacent its opposite end a I bindingterminal 23. Overlymg the end boss 24, which is embraced by the screwshell base flange and strap yoke 20, is a center contact 25 the shank 26of which lies in a depression in the flat face of the block 15 and isoffset at its opposite end to form a switch contact 27 which enters theswitch chamber 16 and is supported against a wall 28 thereof, but to oneside of the channel 18. Side lugs 29 on the shank enter recesses 30 inthe base and hold the center contact against displacement.

A second switch contact 31 arranged within the switch chamber againstthe same wall 28 thereof, but on. the opposite side of the channel 18,is formed by the offset end of the strap 32, provided at its oppositeend with an offset which enters the bay 33 and carries the bindingterminal 34.

A switch bar 35, in the form of a Y-shaped yoke struck from sheet metal,is supported within the switch chamber on one end of a coil spring36arranged in the well 37 opening to the switch chamber, and oscillatesacross the switch chamber from the position shown in F ig. 1, inwhich itbridges the-contacts 27 and 31, to the opposite side of the switchchamber, where it is halted by the wall 38 thereof in open circuitposition. The circuit is thus made or broken on the center con- .thechamber.

To effect the oscillation of the switch bar I provide a cam plate 39formed from sheet metal and-guided for rectilinear movement in thechannel 18. The peak cam 40 of the plate slides in the crotch of theswitch bar 35 which, under the action of its spring 36, is caused toride down one or the other of the inclines a or b ofthe cam 40 as thepeak of the latter passes the plane'of the switch bar.

To reciprocate the cam plate 39 I provide an eccentric 41 mounted on aspindle 42 and working in a gap 43 in the 'cam plate. The

eccentric 41 is formed of insulating material,

the chamber 17 To rotate the spindle I provide a ratchet disk 48 (Fig.6), the ratchet teeth 49 of which engage opposite faces of the spindleweb 45 to rotate the latter. The periphery of the ratchet disk is shapedto form a chain rail 50, the marginal lug 51 on which engages one end ofthe pull chain 52. Against the face of the ratchet opposed to the teeth49, bears a coil spring 53, one end of which enters a hole 54 in theratchet disk for anchorage, while the opposite end of the spring isoffset and received in a seat 55 formed in the fiat face of the block15. Preferably the coil s ring 53 is coned and the ratchet disk simiarly shaped to receive the reduced end of the spring in order to renderthe mechanism more compact. The spring serves not only as a returnspring for the chain rail and ratchet, but also as a compression springwhich tends constantly to keep the ratchet in engagement with the edgeof the spindle web 45 and in position to engage the latter when the diskis rotated. A stop lug 56 on the chain rail engaging the under face ofthe cover plate, hereinafter described, limits the extent of rotation ofthe ratchet, while a second lug 57 engages the outer face of the coverplate (see Figs. 2 and 6) to limit the return of the parts under the.action of the spring 53. The chain 52 runs in a groove 58 in. the plateface of the base and may be provided with an enlarged ball X to preventexcess chain from entering the chamber17 on the sudden return movementof the chain rail, after actuation.

Overlying the fiat face of the block 15 is a cover plate 59 ofinsulating material, such as fiber. It is secured in position by screwbolts 60, 61, 62 and 63. Of these, the screw bolts 60 and 61 passthrough the cover plate and take respectively into tapped lugs 64 and65, the lug 64 being offset from the terminal strap 21, and the lug 65being offset from or riveted to the yoke 20 integral with the strap 21.Both lugs 64-65, are seated against the opposite side of the block fromthe plate 59, so that the screw bolts anchor the screw shell 19 andstrap 21, as Well as the cover plate, firmly in position. The screw 62'passes in opposite direction through the block 15 and takes into atapped hole in the terminal strap 32, which'overlies the cover plate 59.The screw bolt 63 passes through the cover plate and a transverse hole66 adjacent the lower end of the block 15 and serves not only .t o holdthe cover plate in position at its lower end, but also to constitute,with its tongue nut 67, means for establishing detachable connectionwith the slotted ends 68 of the legs 69 of the support ing hickey. Thetongue 670 of the nut 67 enters a notch 671 at the lower end of the base15 and is thus held against rotation as the screw 63 is turned up. Marinal lugs 690 spaced rpm the slotted ends of the lugs 68 of the hickeyand offset inward, form stops against which the lower end of the baserests and by which the base is held from rocking on the bolt 63. Thehickey nipple '70 screws as usual upon the threaded end of 39reciprocates and constitutes the bearing against which the plate slides,and against which it is thrust by the switch bar spring 36. Since thecam plate constantly engages the switch bar 35, the latter and itsspring 36 are held in the switch chamber 16 by the cover plate. Thelatter also overlies the notches. 46, 47 in the flat face of the block15, and thus forms a bearing cap for the opposite ends of the spindle42. Similarly it closes the channel 58 through which the chain emergesfrom the chamber 17, and thus retains the chain in proper position. Thecover plate is apertured at 71 to permit the cam 41 and chain rail 50 toplay therethrough, and at 72 to permit the switch contact 31 to passtherethrough from the wire terminal strap 32 into the switch chamber 16.Atone end the cover plate is extended as a lug 73 which projects intothe space 74 between the screw shell and the boss 24 to effectivelyisolate the shank of center contact from the base flange of the screwshell 19. The cover plate has the further function as a limiting stopfor the oscillating chain rail. Again it supports the cylindrical casing75 which surrounds the screw shell 19 and the insulating body of thesocket. Forthis purpose the opposite margins of the lower end of thecover plate are provided with lateral extensions 76 which reach beyondthe circumference of the casing 75, so that when the latter is pusheddown upon the socket it abuts and is halted by its engagement with theshoulders 76 of the cover plate.

Inasmuch as the cylindrical casing 75 is of paper, and may be deformedduring handling, I provide means for keeping distended the portionthereof which surrounds the flat face of the block, particularly in thearea of the switch operating mechanism. For this purpose a lug 77 isformed on the side of the contact arm 32 (Figs. 4 and 5) and angledoutward as shown to support the inner face of the casing 75.Interference with the operation of the chain rail is thus prevented.

In Figs. 8 to 11, certain modifications are shown. As will be noted, theswitch spring 78 is of double cone construction, one end nesting in thedepressed face of the ratchet disk 48, while the opposite end bearsagainst the side face of the chamber 17. The added length of spring notonly increases its strength but serves to maintain the ratchet disk morefirmly pressed against the cooperating shoulders of the web 45 of thespindle 42. The long end 79 of the spring, by which it is tensioned isengaged'not in the seat 55, as in Fig. 1, but in an aperture 80 adjacentone margin of a guard plate 81. This guard plate eliminates thenecessity for the lug 7 7 (Fig. 5) and takes the place of the latter asa lateral support for the casing tube 75. The guard plate 81 ispreferably formed from thin spring metal and is provided at its oppositeends with lugs. 82 and 83 adapted to take into appropriate notches orapertures 84 and 85 in the fiber cover plate 59; To tension the spring78 it is necessary merely to lift its end 79 from a position adjacentthe base 15 in the area of the seat 55, insert the end through the hole80 in the guard, the lug 83 of which has been previously inserted in thehole 85" in the cover plate 59, and then secure the guard plate inposition by swinging it on the lug 83 as a pivot until lug 82 is inposition to enter the notch 84, the guard plate being slightly sprung sothat the lug 82will enter the notch automatically -upon release of thespring plate. The guard now overlies the combined chain rail and ratchetplate and supports the tube 75 when the latter is slipped over thesocket. In order to accommodate the tube, one margin of the plate'iscutaway at'86 to conform substantially to the curvature of the tubewall.

The operation of the .switch is readily understood. When the chain 52 ispulled out, thus rotating the ratchet 48, the spindle 42 is driventhrough the engagement of the ratchet teeth with the spindle web 45. Asthe spindle rotates, the eccentric 41 is carried around with it, andlongitudinally displaces the cam plate 39. As the cam '40 passes theswitch bar 35, the latter is displaced by the incline a, compressing thespring 36 until the peak of the cam passes the plane of the switch bar,whereupon the thrust of the spring 36' forces the bar to travel down theopposite incline b of the cam and causes the throw of the bar across theswitch chamber 16 to open circuit position against the wall 38. Upon thesucceeding operation of the ratchet, the camplate is shifted by theeccentric in opposite direction, and the switch bar thrown across theswitch chamberagain to close the circuit between'the switch contacts. Inclosed circuit position there is no danger'that current'will reach thepull chain 52 inasmuch as the eccentric 42 is of insulating material andspaces the cam bar from the cam spindle 42, web 45, etc.

The socket is simple to manufacture by reason of the fact thatpractically all of themetal parts may be blanked and formed up fromsheet material, no separate forming operation being necessary for manyof the parts. No long through bolts are necessary to hold the screwshell or center contact in place. The insulating body is readily molded,and the assembly operation quickly and easily performed. The detachablehickey 69 renders installation easy, while the operation of the switchaffords a wide double break of the circuit, without danger of arcing.

I claim- 1. An electric switch for a lamp socket or the like, comprisinga spring actuated oscillating switch bar, a reciprocating peakcam 'forcontrolling the throw of said bar, an

eccentric for imparting mot-ion to said cam,

and a ratchet mechanism for rotating the eccentric.

2. An electric switch for a lamp socket or the like, comprising a baserecessed to afford a switch chamber, an operatin chamber and aconnecting channel, in com ination with an oscillating switch bar in theswitch cham: her, a reciprocating member controlling the throw of theswitch bar and working in said channel, and ratchet means arranged inthe operating chamber forf'actuating said reciprocating member.

3. In an electric lamp socket, an insulating base laterally recessed toafford a switch chamber, a socket screw shell and center contactarranged at an end of the base, said center contact having a shank lyingagainst that face of the base which isrecessed and a switch contactoffset from the end of said shank and entering the switch chamberaffordedby said lateral recess, in combination with an insulating coverplate facing the side of the base and holding said center contact inposition thereweb of the disk being coned, in combination with a conedratchet spring the small end of which enters the coned face of theratchet disk. 5. In an electric switch for lamp sockets or the like, aratchet,a spindle on which said ratchet is freely journaled, and a weblying V substantially in the plane of and integral with the spindleengaged for rotation by the teeth of'the ratchet.

6. In an electric switch, a sheet metal spindle having a diameteral web,integral therewith, an eccentric on the spindle, and a rivet lugintegral with the 'web and engaging said eccentric to cause its rotationwith the spindle. I

7 In an electric switch, an insulating base having a face recessed toform a switch 3 chamber, an independent operating chamber, open bearingson opposite ends of the operating chamber, in combination with a springstressed switch bar freely arranged in the switch chamber, a slidingmember freely extending between the switch and operating overlyingtherecessed side of the body, and

shouldered atone end, together with an insulating tube surrounding saidscrew shell and base, and abutting at one end against the shoulder ofthe cover plate.

9. In an electric lamp socket, an insulating base laterally recessed toform a switch chamber, a screw shell mounted on the end of the base andhaving a base flange projecting beyond the laterally recessed face ofthe base, a center contact located at the end of the base within thescrew shell area and having a shank lying against the side face of thebase and offset into the switch chamber to form a switch contact,together with a cover plate of insulating material holding said centercontact against the side face of the base and projecting between thecenter contact shank and the base flange of the screw shell to insulatethe latter from each other.

10. In an electric lamp socket, an insulating base having at one end atransverse channel, a cover plate against one side face of the base, avscrew bolt piercing said cover plate and base, and a supporting hickeyhaving notched-arms adapted to be detachably engaged at the oppositeends of said bolt.

11. In an electric switch mechanism, an oscillating switch bar, areciprocating cam plate engaging the same, and an eccentric ofinsulating material engaging said plate to actuate it.

12. In a candle socket, aninsulating block flat on one side, socketcontacts mounted at one end of the block, a switch mechanism projectingfrom the flat side face of the block, a tubular casing enclosing thesocket contacts and block, and means maintaining the casing spaced fromthe fiat face of the block to insure non-interference with the switchmechanism.

13. In an electric lamp socket, an insulating base having socketcontacts at one end and switch mechanism projecting from one side of thebase, a flat insulating plate overlying said side face and apertured toaccommodate said mechanism, an enclosing tubular casing, and guard meanscarried by the flat plate for preventing depression of the tubularcasing in the region of the projecting switch mechanism.

modate said mechanism, an enclosing tubular casing, and guard meanscarried by the flat plate for preventing de ression of the tubularcasing in the region 0 the projecting switch mechanism, said mechanismcomprising a spring, one end of which 'is anchored to said guard means.

15. The combination with the construction specified in claim 3, of a lugon the shank of the center contact, the base being recessed to receivesaid lug, and said insulating cover plate also holding said lug in saidrecess.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

J OHANNES R. CARLSON.

14. In an electric lamp socket, an insulating base having socketcontacts at one end and switch mechanism projecting from one side of thebase, a flat insulating late overlying said side face and apertu toaccom-

